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Take a Hike: Ensign Peak

ENSIGN PEAK Also known as the "Trail above the Avenues" or the After-Dinner Hike

Distance: 1.2 miles round trip

Elevation Gain: 500 feet

Time: Thirty minutes to an hour.

Trail: Trail is a can't miss, from single-track to fire-road wide. It's a quick out-and-back, but you'll still break a sweat.

Who you'll see: Moms with off-road strollers and youngsters in tow; folks training for their first marathon; kids, some cyclists and a lot of dogs.

How to get there: Take State Street north up through the Avenues, follow the street through the neighborhood as it veers to the right and turns into East Capitol Boulevard. Turn left on to Ensign Vista Trail. You'll see the trail come up on the right.

Notable: Legend has it Brigham Young and his pioneer entourage scrambled to the top of Ensign Peak upon arrival in the Salt Lake Valley. They surveyed the mountain peaks to the east and the Great Salt Lake to the west and decided, indeed, they'd found the promised land. A monument is at the summit.

Eco-conscious: An active trail and vegetation restoration project is currently up and running. Save the fauna and stay on trail.